SECRETIONS AND EXCRETIONS. 249 



The observations to be made of the stools 

 Feces. include the number, amount, consistence, 



form, color, and odor of the movements, and 

 further, the presence or absence of mucus, blood, pus, gas 

 bubbles (which denote fermentation), animal parasites 

 (e.g., worms or segments of same), foreign bodies (e.g., 

 pins, coins, etc.), gall-stones, and undigested food 

 particles. When blood, pus or mucus is discovered, 

 its relation to the rest of the movement should be noted, 

 that is to say, whether the same is mixed with the 

 stool, clings to it, or is passed separately before or after. 



Normally the number of stools in different in- 

 NuMBER. dividuals is subject to great variations, so that 



it is impossible to fix a standard which will ap- 

 ply to every one. Thus, while it is usual for the majority 

 of persons to have at least one movement in the twenty- 

 four hours, it is not uncommon to find some who exceed 

 this number by one or two stools, and still others for 

 whom one stool in two or three days is apparently 

 normal. Wide variations in the number of stools is 

 compatible with good health. For the average person, 

 however, at least one movement daily is requisite; less 

 than this number constitutes constipation, and more, 

 several loose movements, diarrhoea. Both constipation 

 and diarrhoea are important symptoms not only in 

 diseases of the alimentary tract, but of systemic affec- 

 tions as well, and the history of no case is complete 

 without a record of the state of the bowels. 



